Rural Surveyor

Job Description

We have a wonderful opportunity for an experienced and self-motivated Rural Surveyor to join the RSPB England’s Land Team to be based in Central and Eastern England, an operational area extending through Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire to Staffordshire and Nottinghamshire. The successful applicant will join an England wide team of 11 Rural Surveyors. You will have a specific portfolio of properties in the east and west midlands to manage and will support the wider delivery of the departmental casework as required across the Country. The location of the role is flexible within this area.

The work will include a wide range of estate management casework to support the work programme across England. In addition, this role will also focus on rural surveying support to specific RSPB nature reserves and projects across the Midlands and surrounding counties. The reserves within the area include woodlands, wetlands and peri-urban sites, they have a diverse range of habitats, species and landscapes along with active visitor operations and facilities. Work on these sites includes rural practice work as well as landlord and tenant leasehold arrangements for various offices.

This role offers a varied and rewarding work programme and by providing professional advice to staff, help to deliver our conservation and estate management objectives, minimise risk and optimise financial returns. Key activities include:

Land and Property Management:
Carrying out due diligence to identify, mitigate and manage the legal, reputational and financial aspects of rural property over land, buildings, offices and business premises including rent reviews, repairing obligations, landlord consents, land management contracts, compliance with grant conditions. Advising on agricultural matters and farming systems, agri-environment agreement work, granting leases and licences e.g. sporting, fishing, grazing, negotiating wayleaves and easements.

Reserve acquisition work.
Appraising, negotiating and concluding acquisitions to establish new reserves, extend existing reserves, and acquire property e.g. offices, workshops, farm buildings and residential properties by purchase, lease or management agreement and include land and building valuations

Land and property disposal.
Appraising, advising and delivering on the acquisition of land alongside the delivery of the disposal of land, houses, offices and properties that are surplus to operational need.

Risk management and project support.
Supporting the development and implementation of systems to manage the RSPB’s exposure to legal, reputational and financial risk arising from its land and property operations. Undertaking internal audits to ensure compliance with BPS and agri-environment grant schemes. Providing professional support to Area Teams and Project Managers and assisting in the production of codes of practice and guidance for staff.

Team working.
The England Rural Surveyors work together with a strong team ethos, enthusiasm and dedication and share professional expertise, knowledge and information at regular Team meetings. You will work alongside the building surveyors as well as supporting the Area Managers and their teams. You will be encouraged to be out of the office, providing professional advice to staff, to minimise risk and optimise financial returns for the RSPB nature reserves. You will demonstrate initiative, motivation and flair to spot income opportunities. RSPB will support you in maintaining your RICS qualification and provide in-house and external support to meet CPD requirements. Some site visits will involve overnight stays away from home.

Essential qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience:

• Chartered member of RICS (Rural) or another equivalent professional organisation.
• Demonstrable post qualification knowledge of estate management, land and property acquisition and disposal work in the rural environment.
• An up to date understanding of agricultural subsidy schemes in England and associated cross compliance requirements.
• Knowledge of project management principles and their application.
• Ability to clearly communicate verbally, and in writing, complex estate management issues to all levels within RSPB and to external audiences.
• Ability to make quick, pragmatic and practical decisions/recommendations/alternatives based on sound analysis and reason.
• Ability to positively influence wider audiences and demonstrate credibility both internally and externally.
• Ability to negotiate and achieve the required corporate outcomes.
• An awareness of the requirements of the Charities’ Act, guidance and learning opportunities can be given.
• Ability to manage and prioritise high volume competing objectives, work alone and as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Ability to travel widely including by car and public transport and this role will require occasional overnight stays away from home

Closing date for applications is 13th October 2023. Dates for interview will be confirmed at a later date.

For further information please contact - elizabeth.bridge@rspb.org.uk

The RSPB is committed to training and development and will support appropriate CPD and cover annual membership fees for one professional body e.g. RICS or CAAV.

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating a world richer in nature, we need more people, and more diverse people, on nature’s side. People of colour and disabled people are currently underrepresented across the environment, climate, sustainability, and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we are particularly interested in receiving your application. Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer.

Before applying for this role, we recommend reading through the candidate guidance notes attached to the top of this advert.